Netflix Cofounder Says Strict Tuesday 5 PM Cutoff Maintained for 30 Years to Prioritize Well-being

(SeaPRwire) –   The concept of work-life balance is a frequent topic of debate among executives. However, Netflix cofounder Marc Randolph adhered to a straightforward principle: he would depart every Tuesday at 5 p.m. without exception.

“Throughout my entire career, I have diligently strived to maintain a balance between my personal life and my career,” Randolph wrote in a 2023 LinkedIn post that has since gained traction on social media.

“For more than three decades, I maintained a strict Tuesday deadline. Regardless of the circumstances, I would leave precisely at 5 p.m. to spend the night with my best friend. Our activities included seeing a film, dining out, or simply browsing shops in the city center together.”

There is little doubt that establishing firm boundaries between work and personal life can be challenging for founders and CEOs; they may need to attend late-night calls with international clients or feel obligated to be available around the clock during a business crisis.

Yet, even during his seven-year tenure as CEO of the $416 billion entertainment behemoth Netflix, Randolph remained committed to his Tuesday rule to preserve his mental health.

“I allowed nothing to interfere with that,” Randolph stated. “Not a meeting, a conference call, or a last-minute query. If you needed to speak with me on a Tuesday at 4:55 p.m., you had to do so on the walk to the parking lot. Any crisis had to be resolved by 5:00.”

“Those Tuesday evenings were essential for my sanity. They also helped me maintain a healthy perspective on my work.”

Why some CEOs think work-life balance is a myth

In contrast to Randolph’s philosophy, numerous CEOs impose no restrictions on their work lives and believe this is a prerequisite for success. Lucy Guo, cofounder of Scale AI, typically begins her day at 5:30 a.m. and works until midnight. She achieved self-made billionaire status by age 30 through her 5% ownership in the $29 billion AI firm, an accomplishment she attributes to her relentless work ethic.

“I likely do not have a work-life balance,” Guo mentioned last year, suggesting that those who pursue it may be in the wrong career. “Work doesn’t feel like a chore to me. I am passionate about my job…I believe that if you feel a strong need for work-life balance, perhaps you are not in the right line of work.”

Andrew Feldman, cofounder and CEO of the $8.1 billion AI chip company Cerebras, acknowledged that employees can enjoy a “great life” with a standard 9-to-5 schedule. However, he contends that building a revolutionary company or product requires far more than a conventional workweek.

“The idea that you can attain greatness or create something exceptional by working 38 hours a week while maintaining balance is astonishing to me,” Feldman stated on the 20VC podcast in 2025. “This is not realistic in any endeavor.”

“The journey to create something significant from scratch is not a part-time endeavor. It demands more than 30, 40, or 50 hours per week. It requires a commitment of every waking moment. Naturally, this comes with sacrifices.”

The case for clocking out

While non-stop work is often worn as a badge of honor by some CEOs, other leaders caution against the relentless grind. JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon has advised emerging business leaders to prioritize disconnecting from work to nurture their relationships and personal well-being.

“Achieving work-life balance is essential,” Dimon told students at Georgetown University’s Psaros Center for Financial Markets and Policy in 2024. “Our message to JPMorgan staff is to prioritize your mental, physical, and spiritual health, as well as your friendships and overall wellness. It is absolutely necessary.”

Whole Foods CEO Jason Buechel also refuses to overextend himself in his leadership position.

Despite a demanding schedule that includes frequent travel and a minimum of 10 daily meetings, he uses all of his paid time off each year. He has implemented a company policy capping accrued hours to encourage employees of the $13.7 billion grocery chain to take their full allotment of days off. Buechel explained in 2024 that this policy “effectively ensures that people take their PTO…leading to a better work-life balance.”

“I believe it is crucial for me to lead by example in this regard.”

An earlier version of this article appeared on .com on November 7, 2025.